Auto racing notebook: Elliott still chasing win, and now he needs oneChase Elliott has been close all year and if he doesn't win Sunday, he'll likely be eliminated from the Chase.

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Chase Elliott has been inching toward his first career Sprint Cup victory all year, only to come up short time and time again.

He needs it to come Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, where anything but a win will likely eliminate the rookie phenom from NASCAR’s playoffs.

There have been five times this year that Elliott has finished second or third. He’s been inside the top five a total of nine times. He might have even won at Charlotte Motor Speedway two weeks ago until he wrecked. Then a tire problem at Kansas dropped him to last in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings and on the edge of elimination.